By Chris Robinette As we look forward to saying goodbye to 2018 and hello to 2019, let’s look at five ways to help yourself get on more sound financial footing for the new year. Save money for yourself first! I know this…

by Daniel Buckley | photo provided by Lee French The New Year is a fantastic time to re-evaluate and establish new goals. Whether they be professional or personal, it’s best to have a well thought out strategy in order to ensure your success. As…

by Selena Haynes | photo provided by Half Hill Farm Christian Grantham and Vince Oropesa are partners in business and in life. The duo relocated to Woodbury, Tennessee in 2012 and since then have become a fixture in the local community. Grantham was given…

By Susan Gardner Welcome to my new blog in Focus Middle Tennessee, where we take a realistic approach to simplicity. The January/February issue theme is FabYOUlous. In this first article, I will share how I came to know the FabYOUlous me, journeying through messes in…

story by GK Gurley | photo courtesy of Melisse Tokic Much of what is in the media does not represent our experience of being queer in the South. Now, there’s a new award-winning short film made by various Southern and queer people, about Southern queer…

by Allyssa Basso There’s a belief amongst some in the LGBT+ community that it’s possible to not be “enough.” Not gay enough, out enough, proud enough. It leads to discrimination within the community, which seems counter intuitive. The LGBT+ community offers a place where people…

story by Ryan Rattliff | photo courtesy of Phalcon Photography New York native Dwayne Jenkins knows the value of community and safe spaces. Growing up, life in the Bronx was colorful. Early exposure to various ethnicities, cultures, and personalities taught him that being different was…

story by Kelly Harrison | illustration by Brian Goins What if you could build a bridge? Not just any bridge but a bridge between health care professionals and transgender individuals seeking medical care in your community? By pairing trans individuals with an advocate to help them…

story by Tessie Austin | photo by Lauren Means Conversion therapy can be known by many names, such as reparative therapy, ex-gay therapy, Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE), and aversion therapy, just to name a few. Many of us may have endured lectures about…

story by Kelly Harrison | base image courtesy of Wikipedia, edits by Leah Wright Editor note: The VUMC Gender Clinic will open on August 24 and is now scheduling appointments for that afternoon. Email lgbti.health@vanderbilt.edu or call 615-936-3879 (Del Ray Zimmerman) for more information….